Cost Controlling Lead - Associate Director

Lonza, Inc.; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading life sciences company in Manchester is seeking a skilled Cost Controller Lead to enhance cost management and operational efficiency. In this role, you will lead a team, facilitate accurate reporting, and drive cost-optimisation initiatives. Ideal candidates will have a degree in finance and significant experience in a cost-controlling function. This position also offers a hybrid work model, emphasizing an agile and inclusive culture.

Benefits

Agile career opportunities

Dynamic working culture

Inclusive workplace

Hybrid working policy

Tailored benefits for Manchester

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in cost controlling or overhead management.
• Strong leadership with team development skills.
• Excellent analytical skills to transform data into insights.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary financial contact for cost-related matters.
• Oversee end-to-end cost-controlling activities.
• Lead preparation of overhead reporting for management.

Skills

Analytical skills

Leadership

Problem-solving

Business partnering

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics

Job description

We are seeking a highly skilled and forward‑thinking Cost Controller Lead to drive excellence in cost management, transparency, and operational efficiency across our global functions and platforms. This role, as part of the SAR team (overhead) focuses on cost controlling, ensuring robust governance, accurate reporting, and insightful analysis to support strategic decision‑making. You will lead a team of cost controllers, build strong partnerships with senior stakeholders, and implement modern, digitalised processes that improve accuracy and efficiency. The ideal candidate is analytical, influential, resilient, and passionate about elevating cost controlling to best‑in‑class standards.

Benefits

• An agile career and dynamic working culture
• An inclusive and ethical workplace
• Hybrid working policy – 2 days in the office, 3 days WFH
• A variety of benefits tailored to Manchester
• The full list of our global benefits can be found on https://www.lonza.com/careers/benefits

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary financial contact for global function and platform leaders on all cost‑related matters.
• Oversee end‑to‑end cost‑controlling activities for global functions, including cost centre reporting, variance analysis, and overhead transparency.
• Lead the preparation and consolidation of overhead reporting for the Group and management.
• Drive the simplification, standardisation and automation of cost‑controlling processes.
• Promote a data‑driven culture by introducing modern technologies, reducing manual work and improving data quality.
• Contribute to cost‑optimisation initiatives and transformation projects across the organisation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics or related field; CMA, CPA or equivalent certification is an advantage.
• Extensive experience in cost controlling, cost accounting, overhead management or controlling roles within an international environment.
• Strong leadership and people‑management capabilities with a proven track record of team development.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills, able to transform data into clear insights and recommendations.
• Strong business‑partnering skills, with the ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders constructively.
• Detail‑oriented with a continuous improvement mindset and strong commitment to accuracy and governance.

Today, Lonza is a global leader in life sciences operating across five continents. While we work in science, there’s no magic formula to how we do it. Our greatest scientific solution is talented people working together, devising ideas that help businesses to help people. In exchange, we let our people own their careers. Their ideas, big and small, genuinely improve the world. And that’s the kind of work we want to be part of. Every day, Lonza’s products and services have a positive impact on millions of people. For us, this is not only a great privilege, but also a great responsibility. How we achieve our business results is just as important as the achievements themselves. At Lonza, we respect and protect our people and our environment. Any success we achieve is no success at all if not achieved ethically.

People come to Lonza for the challenge and creativity of solving complex problems and developing new ideas in life sciences. In return, we offer the satisfaction that comes with improving lives all around the world, the satisfaction that comes with making a meaningful difference.

Lonza is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a qualified individual with disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.